The question of “memory” is associated with the question of time, imprints, traces and traditions. In its collective and social dimensions “memory” constitutes a political tool for the promotion of cohesion and is at the same time interwoven with questions of individual and shared identities. 



Mara Montoya's talk deals with the intersections of personal history, collective memory and how they connect with each other through events, restricting her presentation to Congo related movies. Within her talk she will show her video essay “Memories of Glory” (2011, 12 Min.) which explores the symbolic core of Brussels through an analysis of the Royal Park, embodying the city's architecture, politics, and Belgium's relation to the Congo. In the first part of her presentation Mara will reflect and try to understand the function of remembering, which is not the opposite of forgetting, but rather its lining. As Chris Marker said, “We do not remember, we rewrite memory much as history is rewritten”.

In the second part, Mara will point out personal history exploring a video excerpt from “Good Bye Mandima” (2010, 10 Min.) by Robert-Jan Lacombe, where the French/Dutch filmmaker looks back on the day of his departure to France. The story is based on a panoramic photography where he recalls his first ten years living inMandima, Zaire, now Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the third part, Mara will show “History Lessons” (2003, 5 Min.), where Belgian video artist Sarah Vanagt filmed a history class in the edge of Lake Kuvu in Rwanda. The children in this classroom where born in 1994, the year of the genocide. Since 1994, history has been officially suspended from the school’s curriculum. For ten years, the teacher of this class has been waiting for new, rewritten manuals. In this last part Mara will study the collective memory and mention historiography.


With With: Everything but an Artist Talk wird organisiert von Romy Rüegger und Lucie Kolb untersucht anhand von Vorträgen und Lecture Performances das Sprechen über Kunst. Dieses Sprechen ist dabei möglicherweise als vokaler oder reflexiver Handlungsort Teil der künstlerischen Praxis oder wird für die Situation des Vortragens betont.